Best credit cards for shopping
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Credit cards make it easy to pay for things — but they also come loaded with other benefits, like helping you build credit, earn rewards, and pay down debt. But if you’ve never owned a credit card (or had the same card forever), it can be hard to even know which one is best for you.
With so many different types of credit cards out there, it can be hard to know which one to pick. Luckily, we have an ultimate guide for you to figure out which credit card fits in with your lifestyle and your spending habits. Whether you want to rack up points and miles for air travel, or want cash back on your daily purchases, there’s a card for you. Here are all the best credit cards out there for any type of expense.
What to know
- To earn cash back, use a card that offers cash back on all purchases like the Chase Freedom Unlimited
- For brand-specific deals, use a co-branded credit card like the Amazon Store Card
- For travel rewards, use a brand-specific credit card or a card focused on maximizing points
- For staples like groceries and gas, choose a card heavy on the cash back
Why use a credit card?
Credit cards are a simple way to pay for your daily expenses — you can make a purchase and pay it off at a later date. Credit cards are accepted at almost every retailer, which makes them a convenient and easy payment option. They’re also more secure than debit cards or cash — if you lose your card or it gets stolen, you can easily get it replaced and recover any money lost.
The biggest advantage to credit cards are the perks. Many cards give you cash back or points when you spend. And, if you’re looking to build credit, credit cards are a great way to do so, as long as you're paying your credit card bill off on time and not maxing out your limit.
However, there are some drawbacks to credit cards, typically if you don’t use them responsibly. If you don’t pay off your credit card bill by the due date, you may begin to incur interest and can quickly fall into debt. Because of this risk, most lenders require that you have a pretty solid credit score to qualify.
Because retailers offer so many products across different spending categories, you’ll typically want to use a card that offers a variety of different rewards so you can use them for purchases at lots of different retailers. You may also want to consider using a different card depending on your specific purchase.
Best cash back credit cards
Chase Freedom Unlimited
FICO: 670 - 850
Annual fee: $0
Introductory offer: $200 welcome bonus
Everyday Rewards:
- 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- Bonus rewards on dining, drugstore purchases, and travel booked through Chase
Citi Double Cash Card
FICO: 670 - 850
Annual fee: $0
Introductory offer: N/a
Everyday Rewards:
- 2% cash back on all purchases
- No limits to cash back rewards
Discover It Cash Back
FICO: 670 - 850
Annual fee: $0
Introductory offer: Matched first year’s cash back
Everyday Rewards:
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in eligible purchases in rotating quarterly categories
- 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
FICO: 670 - 850
Annual fee: $0
Introductory offer: $200 welcome bonus after spending $1,000 in the first three months
Everyday Rewards:
- 2% unlimited cash back
- Bonus rewards on dining, drugstore purchases, and travel booked through Chase
Best co-branded credit cards
If you’re a frequent shopper at a large retailer, using a branded department store card or online store card can give you specific and exclusive discounts. Here are some branded credit cards at large retailers to consider:
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card
FICO: 670 - 850
Annual fee: $0 but Prime membership is required
Introductory offer: $100 Amazon gift card
Everyday Rewards:
- 5% cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods
- 2% cash back at restaurants, gas stations, and drug stores
- 1% cash back on utilities, ridesharing services, and all other purchases
- 10% cash back on select products at Amazon.com
Amazon Store Card
There are technically two versions of this card: The Prime Store Card and The Store Card. When you apply, the card you get depends if you have a Prime membership or not. Without a Prime membership, you’ll get The Store Card (which doesn’t offer cash back).
These cards can only be used at Amazon.com, Audible, Amazon Bookstore, Amazon Web Services, and places that accept Amazon Pay. You cannot use this card at Whole Foods, so if grocery rewards are your main focus, you may want to consider a different payment method.
FICO: 640+
Annual fee: $0
Introductory offer: $10 Amazon gift card
Everyday Rewards:
- 5% cash back on all Amazon purchases
- Extra 5-15% cash back on select items throughout the year
- 1% cash back on utilities, ridesharing services, and all other purchases
- Financing options on eligible purchases of $150 or more at 0%, for 6, 12, or 24 months.
Amazon Prime Secured Card
FICO: n/a but upfront deposit needed and Prime membership is required
Annual fee: $0
Introductory offer: After 12 months of responsible use, you may be eligible to activate Amazon Store Card features, including 5% cash back on Amazon purchases.
Everyday Rewards:
- 2% cash back on Amazon purchases
Target RedCard
FICO: 670 - 850
Annual fee: $0
Introductory offer: N/A
Everyday Rewards:
- 5% discount on all Target purchases, both in-store and online
- 5% discount on any in-store Starbucks purchases
- 10% discount on account anniversary
- 30 extra days for free returns
- Free shipping on most items
Capital One Walmart MasterCard
FICO 640+
Annual fee: $0
Introductory offer: In the first year, earn 5% cash back on in-store purchases at Walmart using Walmart Pay, Walmart’s mobile payment wallet
Everyday Rewards:
- Earn 5% cash back on all online purchases at Walmart.com
- Earn 2% cash back on in-person purchases at Walmart stores and fuel stations
- Earn 2% cash back on restaurants and travel
- Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
Walmart Store Card
FICO 640+
Annual fee: $0
Introductory offer: In the first year, earn 5% cash back on both online and in-store purchases at Walmart using Walmart Pay, Walmart’s mobile payment wallet
Rewards:
- Earn up to 5% cash back on all online purchases at Walmart.com and the Walmart app
- Earn 2% cash back on in-person purchases at Walmart stores and fuel stations
Best travel credit cards
Capital One Venture Rewards Card
FICO: 690 - 850
Annual fee: $95
Introductory offer: Get a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 within the first three months of account opening
Everyday Rewards:
- Earn 2x miles on every purchase
- Earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One travel
- Get up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA Precheck
Chase Sapphire Preferred
FICO: 690 - 850
Annual fee: $95
Introductory offer: Get a one-time bonus of 60,000 miles once you spend $4,000 within the first three months of account opening
Everyday Rewards:
- Get a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit
- Earn 5x miles on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Earn 3x miles on dining
- Earn 2x on all other travel purchases
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card
FICO: 720 - 850
Annual fee: $0 for the first year, then $95
Introductory offer: Get a one-time bonus of 50,000 points once you spend $2,000 within the first 120 days of account opening
Everyday Rewards:
- Earn 5x points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked through Altitude Rewards Center
- Earn 4x points on travel, gas stations, and EV charging stations
- Earn 2x points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, and dining
- Earn 1x points on all other purchases
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
FICO: 690 - 850
Annual fee: $0 for the first year, then $99
Introductory offer: Get a one-time bonus of 70,000 points once you spend $2,000 within the first three months of account opening
Everyday Rewards:
- Earn 2x miles on Delta purchases
- Earn 1x points on all other purchases
World of Hyatt Credit Card
FICO: 670 - 850
Annual fee: $95
Introductory offer: Get a one-time bonus of 30,000 points once you spend $3,000 within the first three months of account opening
Everyday Rewards:
- Earn up to 9 points per $1 spent at Hyatt
- Earn 2 points per $1 at restaurants, airline tickets, local transit, and gym memberships
Best credit cards for gas and groceries
Blue Cash Preferred American Express Card
FICO: 670 - 850
Annual fee: $95
Introductory offer: Get $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 within the first six months
Everyday Rewards:
- Earn 6% cash back at supermarkets up to $6,000 annually
- Earn 6% cash back on streaming serves
- Earn 3% cash back on transit, including rideshare, parking, and public transportation
- Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
American Express Gold Card
FICO: 670 - 850
Annual fee: $250
Introductory offer: Earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 within the first six months
Everyday Rewards:
- Earn 4x points on takeout, delivery, and at supermarkets up to $25,000 annually
- Earn 3x points on flights books directly with airlines or through American Express
- Earn 1x points on all other purchases
PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature Card
FICO: 670 - 850
Annual fee: $0
Introductory offer: Earn 15,000 points after spending $1,500 within the first three months
Everyday Rewards:
- Earn 5x points on gas and EV charging stations
- Earn 3x points on supermarket purchases
- Earn 1x points on all other purchases
Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express
FICO: 670 - 850
Annual fee: $0
Introductory offer: Earn a $200 credit when you spend $2,000 within the first six months
Everyday Rewards:
- Earn 3% cash back at supermarkets, up to $6,000 annually
- Earn 2% cash back at gas stations
- Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
Best balance transfer credit cards
Balance transfer cards help you manage your debt by allowing you to consolidate your debt onto one card and avoid paying interest for a set amount of time.
Wells Fargo Reflect Card
FICO: 670 - 850
Introductory APR: 0% for up to 21 months
Regular APR: 14.49-26.49% variable
Other details:
- Balance transfers made within 120 days are charged a 3% fee — after the 120 days, the fee is 5%.
- Get up to $600 in cell phone protection when you pay off your monthly phone bill with your card
Citi Diamond Preferred Card
FICO: 670 - 850
Introductory APR: 0% for up to 21 months
Regular APR: 15.24-25.24% variable
Other details:
- Balance transfer fee is either $5 or 5% the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Discover it Balance Transfer
FICO: 670 - 850
Introductory APR: 0% for up to 21 months
Regular APR: 13.49-24.49% variable
Other details:
- Earn 5% cashback on everyday purchases in rotating categories
- Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
Best credit-building credit cards
If you have a low credit score or no credit score, credit builder cards are a great way to build credit, as long as you pay off your card in time and in full each month.
Petal 2 Visa Credit Card
FICO: No credit history is needed
Annual fee: $0
Other details:
- 1% cash back on all purchases
- 1.5% cash back on all purchases after 12 on-time monthly payments
U.S. Bank Visa Secured Credit Card
FICO: No credit history needed
Annual fee: $0
Minimum deposit: $300
Other details:
- Earn 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in purchases
- Earn 2% cash back on an everyday category of your choosing, like groceries or gas
- Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
Which credit card should I use?
Which method you use depends largely on what you want to buy, what payment methods the vendor accepts, and your financial situation.
First, consider what you spend the most money on and where you would like to earn the most rewards, whether it’s traveling, eating out, or grocery shopping. Once you’ve narrowed it down, consider if you’d like your rewards in the form of points or cash back.
Other things to consider include the annual fees or minimum credit score needed. You also may want to consider the welcome bonus, if the card offers one.
